Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Okay, at first glance, I was a bit doubtful about this album. In fact, despite being a huge DM fan (and despite the fact that the studio version of Songs of Faith and Devotion is still one of my favorite albums of all time), I put off buying this one for a few years. Upon looking at the tracklisting, I saw that the disc is made up of the exact same songs from the studio album arranged in the exact same order. There are no live tracks from other albums here..no bonuses...just a live version of Songs of Faith and Devotion in its entirety, in sequence.
So, anyway, a few years passed, and I found a used version and picked it up. I threw it into my stereo and was treated to an extended buildup to "I Feel You" with crowd noise, and rhythmic loops...and as I got into the buildup and excitement, the pounding live drums came in and kicked my adrenaline into overdrive. Yes, it was one of those rare CD moments where you just step back and say "wow" out loud.
If you have good speakers, you'll be treated to one of the best sounding live CDs ever released. If you have a good subwoofer, the drums and bass will amazingly shake the whole room while maintaining perfect clarity in the mix. The album is slightly rougher than its studio counterpart, maybe a bit more rock-oriented and organic, yet it's still immaculately produced, performed, and mixed. It's also louder and oddly sounds more layered, presenting almost a "wall of sound" effect using delay and reverb as well as additional sampling (for instance, you'll find certain samples being used more than they were on the studio album to add more intensity to parts of various songs). Even weaker songs from the album like the gospel-esque "Get Right With Me" are reworked with enough pavement-cracking drums and rocking guitar to drop your jaw to the floor.
As for the band, they're oddly in top form, despite the many problems they were going through at the time. A long-haired, tattoo-covered Dave, struggling with drug use and barely able to stand on stage at times during the tour (as later admitted) gives a strong, heartfelt performance delivered through a confident rockstar persona (with a little help from some background vocals, including female gospel singers). The rest of the band rock out, as well, with strong guitars, driving drums, and near perfect use of synthesizers and samples. This is the sound of a band on the edge of implosion sounding perhaps more cohesive and skilled than they ever had before or have since.
Overall, this album is a heavier, more powerful, more organic version of its studio counterpart...a live album full of adrenaline pumping emotional buildups and earth shattering intensity that accentuates already-powerful epic songs. If you didn't like the original studio album or are just a mild fan, then a live version with the exact same tracklisting is obviously quite unnecessary. However, if you loved the studio album, don't hesitate to pick this one up. Buy it, crank the volume on a stereo system with good bass, and get ready for an amazing ride.
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